O'Loughlin Elementary School students could lose some of their playground area to make way for a new road.

The road, one option for parents dropping off and picking up students, will be discussed at Monday's 6:30 p.m. special meeting of the USD 489 board of education in the Toepfer Board Room of the Rockwell Administration Center, 323 W. 12th.

Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior-Senior High School's Victory Road, which runs along the north side of the O'Loughlin building, will be closing to daily use because of disrepair. In the past, many O'Loughlin parents have used that road when school is in session.

The Heartland Parish Catholic School Board notified the school district in late June the road is closing.

Jeff Brull, TMP-Marian advancement director, said the road is in disrepair with numerous potholes.

"We just don't have money to go back in and fix it," said Randy Walker, who signed the letter to Nancy Harman, O'Loughlin principal.

Walker's term as the parish school board president ended July 1.

O'Loughlin parents and others have used the road since O'Loughlin opened in 1990. Barricades have been placed at the entrance near O'Loughlin, closing off access to a portion of Victory Road.

The district hasn't contributed to the road's upkeep, said Deputy Superintendent Richard Cain.

"We always thought it was coming, but there's never been any proposal," Cain said of sharing the cost of maintenance.

One option for the USD 489 board is to negotiate with TMP-Marian to keep the road open and help with the cost of repairs.

Other options include building a road parallel to Victory Road and curving it behind the school along the playground to connect with 13th Street. Another option is to pave an area southwest of the O'Loughlin cafeteria for parking and adding access to 13th Street. The final option is an access road to 13th Street with an outlet to 12th Street.

No cost estimates on the projects were available.

It's unlikely the work will be finished when school starts, and some students might be transported from a drop-off and pick-up spot at Hays Middle School.